


Playing With Fire

by centipedelove (TheLigeia)



Category: BLACKPINK (Band), EXO (Band), Red Velvet (K-pop Band), f(x), 소녀시대 | Girls' Generation | SNSD
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Racing, Angst, DEATHS WILL BE EXPLICITLY WARNED, Drama, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Gang Violence, Gangs, Inspiration from Tempo (EXO Music Video), M/M, MAMA MV Powers, Minor Character Deaths, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PLEASE CHECK ALL CHAPTER WARNINGS, Shameless Smut, Street Racing, powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-08-25 18:22:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16665880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLigeia/pseuds/centipedelove
Summary: Playboy and White Noise have been rivals for half a century, the hatred between them remaining strong throughout the years. Kris and Junmyeon's animosity has only driven the gangs further apart, and tensions between both groups are at an all time high. That alone should be enough to keep Kris's right hand man and White Noise's best racer away from each other, but mutual attraction pushes Chanyeol and Baekhyun to cross the line from enemies into something even more dangerous.





	1. Simmering

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Neon Lights](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3773575) by [celerydragon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/celerydragon/pseuds/celerydragon), [memefucker69](https://archiveofourown.org/users/memefucker69/pseuds/memefucker69). 



> I've been tossing ideas for this AU around for about two years, so when I saw the Tempo concept I knew there was no better time to start working on this fic than now. I had hoped to get the first chapter finished before the MV dropped, but I had a lot of unexpected personal issues preventing me from finishing until now. Anyways, first chapter is finally here! Hope you enjoy!
> 
> For a full list of characters and their powers, [check out the foreword for this fic on AFF](https://www.asianfanfics.com/story/view/1233411/playing-with-fire-action-drama-gang-mafia-romance--snsd-taeny-exo-baekyeol-xiuhan-gangau-mafiaau-racingau-redvelvet-joygi-powersau-enemiestolovers-bikerau).
> 
>  
> 
>   
> 

There was something about the rumble of an engine that always put Chanyeol at ease. Just sitting on the seat of his motorcycle after being stressed or anxious was enough to help him ground himself, to help him focus and clear his head. It had been that way since he was thirteen, learning how to ride despite his mother’s protests, and carried on well into his twenties. It was almost pavlovian now, natural for Chanyeol to relax the moment he made contact with his bike. Still, he was a little on edge.

The old warehouse Chanyeol found himself waiting at was almost empty, dawn not yet breaking with how early it was. The warehouse was only _almost_ empty though; Chanyeol estimated about fifty people also lingering around the scene, either on foot or on motorcycles themselves. There was a clear divide between the two gathering gangs, throwing hostile gazes and taunts back and forth. Chanyeol sneered at a few younger looking White Noise members, smirking to himself when they visibly flinched. Having a reputation was fun sometimes.

“Don’t scare the kids too much,” a deep voice cut in, making Chanyeol jump. “We don’t want them pissing themselves before the race even starts.”

Kris, having appeared on Chanyeol’s left, was smirking after successfully startling his second in command. His silver hair shone under the glow from the streetlights outside, giving off an intimidating vibe with the shadows playing across his face. Chanyeol just rolled his eyes at his best friend, unamused.

“Stop sneaking up on me when I’m anxious,” Chanyeol groaned, clutching his chest for dramatic effect. His heart was actually racing a little; Kris was such a dick sometimes.

“Anxious? Don’t tell me you’re having some _performance_ anxiety,” Kris taunted, a mock scandalized look barely concealing his grin. The asshole couldn’t contain his hearty laugh when Chanyeol punched him in the shoulder.

“Fuck off Wu,” Chanyeol growled, flustered. “My dick works just fine. Yours, on the other hand–”

The hard smack to the back of the head was expected, but worth it.

“Brat. My concern is wasted on you,” Kris huffed, though there was still a trace of a smile on his face. “Something bothering you, Yeol?”

Chanyeol hesitated, glancing over at the other gang gathering around. White Noise were Playboy’s biggest rivals, stemming back roughly fifty years, when the grandparents of the current leaders were in charge. Where Playboy had Kris, White Noise had Junmyeon, who Chanyeol spotted sitting on his own motorcycle.

Junmyeon looked almost nonchalant, chatting with his own second in command, Taeyeon. The two made a formidable looking pair, especially when Chanyeol knew personally how _smart_ the two of them were. They excelled at figuring out the best course of action necessary to ensure their win, while minimizing risks. Why _they_ had been the ones to challenge Playboy was unknown.

“Something about this whole situation is giving me a bad vibe,” Chanyeol admitted, frowning. “Junmyeon isn’t an idiot, so he has to have some reason to offer up Black Pearl unprovoked. I mean, it’s the richest casino in the city,” Chanyeol added. “You don’t risk giving up such a wealthy asset just for the hell of it.”

“No, you don’t,” Kris agreed, nodding. “There’s no telling what he’s plotting,” Kris remarked, eyeing the rival leader with a frown.

That was exactly why Chanyeol was anxious, but that was beside the point. He was about to respond when he caught sight of Sooyoung and Minseok approaching. They were some of the senior members of Playboy, like Kris and Chanyeol. Both of them were smirking, but the wicked glint in Sooyoung’s gaze told Chanyeol they were in for it.

“Don’t you two look serious! Are you actually using your brains for once?” Sooyoung remarked, sounding surprised. The eldest of the four had a sharp tongue, but Chanyeol knew she was only teasing. It didn’t stop him from being a little offended though, especially with Minseok openly snickering at them.

“You say that like we’re incapable of being smart,” Chanyeol huffed, trying not to pout outwardly. Sooyoung reminded him too much of his big sister.

“Because you aren’t,” Sooyoung replied immediately, smiling sweetly. “That’s Yerim’s job. You two are just there to look pretty and make sure shit gets done.”

_Ouch._

“Stop bad-mouthing your leader,” Kris scolded, though his words lacked any sort of bite. “You’re finally acknowledging our good looks now though, huh?” Kris waggled his eyebrows while Sooyoung pretended to gag.

“Where is Yerim anyways?” Minseok cut in, glancing around the gathered Playboy members.

“Jongin should be picking her up any minute now. The two of them will be running surveillance,” Kris supplied, holding up his helmet.

Irene had recently tweaked with all the racing helmets, installing new communication systems so the racers could contact each other more effectively in the middle of a race. It was extremely useful, especially since Yerim could tap into the system and let them know what was happening from the rooftops.

A sudden plume of smoke caught Chanyeol’s attention, and he inwardly rolled his eyes. Jongin, being a teleporter, liked to show-off his powers whenever he got the chance. It was evident in his smirk as he suddenly appeared on the spot, with a beaming Yerim hanging off of his arm.

“Everything is ready to go,” Yerim announced, adjusting her earpiece. She had helped design the system they’d be using to talk over their comms, her analysis powers helping work out a lot of the design flaws. She was actually a genius, despite being only twenty.

“Excellent. Is there anyone still missing?” Kris asked, doing a quick headcount.

“Just my sister it looks like,” Chanyeol sighed, shaking his head. Joy had been part of Playboy long enough now that her actions didn’t directly reflect back on Chanyeol anymore, but he still felt responsible for his little sister, even if she was twenty-two. Wait, twenty-three now. It was her birthday.

“Oh, looks like she just made it,” Minseok remarked, gesturing over Chanyeol’s shoulder. Sure enough, Chanyeol spotted a familiar set of black pigtails, Joy quickly weaving her way through the gathered Playboy members to join the little group.

“Sorry I’m late! _Someone_ hid my helmet before she left this morning,” Joy explained, glaring at Yerim.

“And that’s my cue to get going! Jongin?” Yerim pleaded, turning towards the teleporter. Jongin just laughed, giving a wave before the two vanished from sight again. Joy rolled her eyes with a huff before glancing up at her brother.

“She always sabotages me when I get to race and she doesn’t. Do we _have_ to take her with us for my birthday tonight?”

“She’s _your_ best friend and roommate, you tell me,” Chanyeol snorted, draping his arm around his little sister’s shoulders. “If you want her to be pissed at you that’s fine by me; one less person I have to pay for.”

Joy just pouted, leaning against her brother’s bike. “You’re such a jerk. No wonder you’re still single.”

“Tell that to his little boyfriend,” Sooyoung snickered, looking across the room. “Someone’s staring.”

Chanyeol whipped his head to follow Sooyoung’s gaze, his confused expression immediately morphing. The sneer that curled across his lips was automatic, a response only triggered by the one true bane to Chanyeol’s existence: Byun Baekhyun.

Baekhyun was indeed staring, his helmet tucked under his arm and a small frown resting on his lips. He was dressed almost head-to-toe in black: black turtleneck, black boots, black leather pants that were far too tight to be practical—the only spot of color on him was his almost signature blue leather jacket. The black getup matched his dark hair and dark eyes, that seemed to be boring directly into Chanyeol. His gaze only darkened further when Chanyeol made eye-contact, a smirk settling on his soft features.

Chanyeol could feel a growl rising up into his throat involuntarily. God, he _hated_ Baekhyun. The man was so arrogant and smug, rather consistently beating Chanyeol every time they raced. It drove him crazy; every time Chanyeol had victory in his sights, Baekhyun ripped it out from under him like it was nothing. Effortlessly, even. He’d done so from the first time they’d raced each other, and Chanyeol had hated him ever since. Just the sight of Baekhyun was enough to make the fire in Chanyeol’s veins rise to the surface, alongside his anger.

“Hey! Don’t fucking burn me!” Joy shrieked, recoiling away from her brother.

Chanyeol swore under his breath, quickly shaking out his hands to dispel the flames starting to form in his palms. He didn’t normally lose control over his powers like that, but Baekhyun just pushed all of his fucking buttons.

“He gets you so worked up,” Minseok snorted, shaking his head. “You both are so obsessed with each other.”

“I am not _obsessed_ with him,” Chanyeol huffed, rolling his eyes. The other four Playboy members just stared at him, varying incredulous looks on all their faces. “Oh, fuck all of you. I hate him!”

“Yes, which you mention to me at least once a week,” Joy deadpanned. “You really need to get laid or something.”

Chanyeol just gawked at his little sister, Kris, Sooyoung, and Minseok cackling at him. When did his baby sister become such a vulgar brat?!

“You little–!” Chanyeol sneered, reaching for his sister, when movement caught his attention.

Junmyeon had gotten off of his motorcycle, a hush falling over the warehouse. The White Noise leader crossed the room, Baekhyun and Taeyeon on either side of him as he approached. The lighthearted, teasing atmosphere around the Playboy members was gone in an instant as the two gang leaders stared each other down.

“The sun is starting to rise, so let’s make this quick,” Junmyeon hummed, his bright smile contradicting the seriousness of his gaze. “The finish line will be right at Black Pearl itself, since it is the prize after all.”

“As long as you can handle watching us take over, that’s fine by me,” Kris replied, smirking. There were snickers all throughout the Playboy members, confidence returning to those who were nervous. White Noise had some of the best racers in the city, but so did Playboy.

Junmyeon’s grin turned sharp. His expression was significantly more dangerous as he straightened his posture. “That won’t be happening, but you’re welcome to try. Get ready to lose, Yifan.”

Junmyeon turned on his heel to head back to his bike, Kris glaring ahead of himself as he did the same. All of the Playboy and White Noise members quickly scrambled to get to their bikes and get ready, the air in the warehouse supercharged with energy.

Chanyeol managed one last glance at Baekhyun, who caught his gaze and winked before he mounted his bike. Chanyeol just clenched his jaw, hoping back onto his own. He switched on the communication system in his helmet, a giddy feeling suddenly bubbling up in his chest. This time, he was going to take victory from right under Baekhyun’s nose and the other racer wouldn’t even see it coming.

✦ ✦ ✦

The first hint of dawn was already coloring the sky as Chanyeol settled his bike next to Kris’s own. He quickly revved his motorcycle, unable to repress his sigh as he felt the engine rumble awake underneath him. This is where he belonged, doing what he loved to do more than anything.

A woman from White Noise with long dark hair and cat-like eyes was holding a plaid shirt as a makeshift flag, surveying all the racers as they readied themselves. Chanyeol could feel the tension coiling in his stomach as she waited to give the signal. This could be a huge opportunity for Playboy, and Chanyeol wasn’t going to let it slip from his fingers. He didn’t know what White Noise was planning, but failure wasn’t an option. Not this time.

Chanyeol glanced to his right, where his sister was perched on her own cherry red motorcycle, matching her helmet and Chanyeol’s own bike. She smiled at him behind her visor, and Chanyeol mirrored it with his own grin. She was a capable racer after being with Playboy for six years, but he wouldn’t stop trying to look out for her on the streets whenever he could. Races with such high stakes tended to get dangerous quickly.

A small beep in his ear alerted Chanyeol before Kris’s voice filtered in through the comms, barely audible over the roar of so many engines. “Everyone ready?”

A chorus of affirmatives sounded over the comms, and Chanyeol just nodded to Kris next to him. Kris gave him a thumbs up, before his helmet turned towards where Junmyeon was waiting at the head of the White Noise racers. Junmyeon gave a nod, before repeating the motion towards the woman with the flag.

The flag bearer just broke into a grin, holding the shirt high above her head. There were excited yells all around, racers revving their engines and ready to go. Chanyeol felt himself grinning as he leaned forward in his seat, eager to get moving. He barely registered the woman quickly swinging down the shirt before he took off, tearing out onto the street as fast as possible.

The cacophony of so many engines became just background noise, fading away as Chanyeol maneuvered his motorcycle. He knew Seoul well, and knew some of the fastest routes to take to get to Black Pearl. He had taken an early lead, but holding onto it was another matter entirely. He couldn’t let himself get distracted if he was going to win; missing a turn or taking one too quickly could end the race for him before he even began. And that was _without_ anyone playing dirty.

“Chanyeol, duck!” Joy’s voice cackled over the comms, alarmed. Chanyeol obliged without thinking, feeling a cold gust of air whizz past him, a shard of ice shattering on the road after narrowly missing him. Shit, that didn’t take long.

Chanyeol risked a glance over his shoulder, recognizing the white and blue bike immediately. Fucking Jessica and her ice powers.

Chanyeol quickly removed one hand from his handlebars, concentrating as he formed a ball of fire roughly the size of a baseball. He glanced back just long enough to aim before launching it towards the brunette racer, only to quickly have to swerve to avoid another fireball being launched at himself.

Sunny was grinning underneath her helmet visor, her red and blonde streaked hair trailing out behind her. Chanyeol swore under his breath, trying to regain his footing. Goddamn power mimic.

“I’ll take care of the mimic,” Hyoyeon’s voice paged, the senior Playboy member quickly crossing lanes to ram into Sunny’s side. Minseok mirrored her until the White Noise racer was trapped between them, blocking Jessica from overtaking them in the meantime. Chanyeol grinned at the development, sharing a quick glance as Kris pulled up next to him.

“Playboy is definitely in the lead!” Jongin called over comms, his excitement palpable. “White Noise are practically gift wrapping Black Pearl for us right now. What the fuck are they even doing?”

“Falling into their rightful place!” Sooyoung laughed, overjoyed. “Yoona and Kyungsoo even ran off from the rest of the group earlier!”

“White Noise must be— Wait, what the _fuck?!_ ”

Chanyeol didn’t like the sound of that. “Jongin?”

“Guys, it’s—!”

Yerim wasn’t able to finish her warning. Chanyeol almost swerved off the road when a loud, piercing sound cut through the comms. It was so shrill and loud it _hurt_ , making Chanyeol gasp in pain as he tried to register what was happening.

Playboy members all around faltered, thrown off by the sound. It ceased almost as quickly as it started, and Chanyeol swore as he saw that several White Noise members had overtaken them in the few seconds of disruption. Chanyeol could spot Taeyeon in one of the leading spots, and he cursed himself for not realizing what had happened sooner. The sound-wave manipulator had fucked with them hard.

Chanyeol was a little disoriented, but managed to regain his footing for the most part. He kept hot on the heels of the White Noise racers, anger welling up. He was _not_ going to let them get away with that little stunt.

Junmyeon and Baekhyun led the pack of racers, leading them off the main roads. Chanyeol barely registered the change in scenery, until the roads started fading away. They were cutting through another warehouse district, and Chanyeol could spot something in the distance.

There were several figures standing in an empty car lot, waiting as the racers approached. Chanyeol recognized them as White Noise racers immediately. Han, Yoona, Jongdae, Wendy, Kyungsoo… They’d had to have split up from the main race earlier, and were lying in wait. Junmyeon had cornered Playboy right into a trap.

Kyungsoo, who had been stock still, suddenly slammed his hands down into the pavement. His whole body shook with the effort, and Chanyeol could only gape as the road itself started raising into a wall behind the racer. Kyungsoo’s strength was terrifying.

“Chanyeol, focus on the race!” Kris snarled, ripping off his helmet to glare at Junmyeon. The leaders didn’t often go head to head, but Kris wasn’t going to let Junmyeon get away unscathed for trapping him.

“Come on, or Baekhyun is going to win!” Joy shouted, kicking her own motorcycle back to top speed. She was chasing a blur of black and blue, and Chanyeol immediately kicked into gear behind her. Kris could handle Junmyeon fine on his own, Chanyeol had a race to finish.

Baekhyun’s jet black bike shone like a beacon under the rising sun as Chanyeol followed him, barely suppressing his rage. He should have seen it coming. Junmyeon never did _anything_ without reason. Black Pearl as a prize should have been as obvious as a neon sign saying “trap” pointing at it. Baekhyun would have gotten away unnoticed too, if Joy hadn’t chased after him herself.

Baekhyun didn’t notice their presence until Joy pulled right up next to him, her dark pigtails streaming out behind her. She was riding close, nearly right up against Baekhyun’s bike. It wasn’t much of a distraction, but it was enough for Chanyeol to speed past them, taking the lead.

A thrill ran down Chanyeol’s spine as he recognized their surroundings. Black Pearl was close. Very close. Chanyeol wouldn’t have to hold out for long to be able to snatch the casino out from under White Noise, even with the traps Junmyeon had laid out. Victory was close enough Chanyeol could taste it.

Joy cried out suddenly, making Chanyeol whip his head to the side. He caught sight of her just as she went to the ground, her bike skidding off the road without her to control it. Chanyeol immediately slammed on his breaks, fast enough that Baekhyun swerved to avoid a collision. The White Noise racer was nearly launched off of his bike, hitting the asphalt hard. Both racers ripped off their helmets, Baekhyun scrambling to his feet as he roared over the abandoned bikes.

“What the fuck Park, are you _trying_ to kill me?!”

Baekhyun turned from glancing at his bike, only for Chanyeol’s fist to meet his face. Hard.

Baekhyun stumbled backwards, Chanyeol lunging and using the lack of balance to tackle Baekhyun to the pavement. Baekhyun yelped on impact, barely raising his arms in time to block more blows from the enraged racer.

“DON’T FUCKING TOUCH MY SISTER,” Chanyeol thundered, unaware of the fire pooling in his palms. He narrowly avoided landing a burning blow to Baekhyun’s face, his arm being tugged back to prevent the hit from connecting.

“Fuck, forget about him! I’m fine!” Joy assured, tugging her brother off the pinned racer. Chanyeol stumbled after her, relieved to see she had just a few small scrapes. “I can hear more racers coming; we gotta go if we want to win still!”

It was distant, but Chanyeol could definitely hear more engines approaching. Whatever had happened back with Kris and Junmyeon had broken off into racing again, and there was no telling who was in the lead. They needed to get out of there, fast.

Chanyeol glanced at Baekhyun again, the White Noise racer shakily rising to his feet while clutching his cheek. Rage bubbled up in Chanyeol again, and he found himself stalking back towards the other racer. He grabbed Baekhyun by the front of his shirt, glaring down at the stunned man.

“If you hurt her again Byun, I _will_ fuck you up. Don’t forget it.”

Chanyeol shoved Baekhyun backwards before the other racer could respond, retreating to pull his own helmet back on. Joy had already ran back to her own bike, getting it up off of the ground. Neither of them spared Baekhyun another glance as they took off, focusing just on finishing the race.

Jongin and Yerim were waiting at the finish line, erupting into cheers with the other Playboy members present as Chanyeol and Joy arrived with no other racers in sight. A clear victory.

“Thank god you guys are alright,” Yerim cried, throwing her arms around both Park siblings.

“Everyone else got away alright, but things were pretty crazy so we couldn’t keep an eye on you,” Jongin explained, looking relieved to see his friend. “What the hell even happened back there?”

Chanyeol heard another bike approaching, and turned to see Baekhyun come to a stop, the racer pulling his own helmet off. They made eye contact for a brief moment before Baekhyun quickly looked away, his entire frame shaking with what Chanyeol could only assume was anger. The remaining racers all started to trickle in, a fuming Junmyeon glaring at Chanyeol while the White Noise members regrouped, stunned by their loss.

Chanyeol just turned his gaze back to Jongin, grinning.

“We won.”


	2. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Playboy adjusts to overtaking Black Pearl, and White Noise are left to deal with the backlash of losing one of their most valuable properties.

Black Pearl was as impressive as Chanyeol always imagined it would be. The hotel and casino was neat and tasteful, with a large, intricate chandelier and a massive saltwater fish tank sitting behind the main reception desk to greet Chanyeol when he stepped into the lobby for the first time. He was admittedly a little awestruck; the colorful tropical fish alone were distracting enough to have him stopping in his tracks to stare. He couldn’t remember if he’d ever been in a casino so opulent before. While gambling in casinos wasn’t even illegal, Chanyeol preferred the thrill of a race to betting away his money, so he tended to avoid them. Black Pearl had been unofficially off limits to him until now anyways.

Kris didn’t seem nearly as impressed. Playboy’s leader barely spared a glance around the building, following the shaking casino manager to a private office. Chanyeol almost felt a little bad for the man; White Noise had been controlling Black Pearl for almost twenty years, so to suddenly be in the hands of a different gang… Chanyeol didn’t think anyone had been prepared for the sudden change. Playboy definitely hadn’t been ready to adopt such a proficient property out of the blue.

“No wonder this is a five-star place,” Tiffany murmured from Chanyeol’s side, glancing around the lobby curiously.

Chanyeol had always adored Tiffany. She had been one of the first people to reach out to him when he had first joined Playboy, and he’d been pretty smitten over the beautiful, sweet young woman. She was even more gorgeous now than when they’d met ten years ago, with her long dark hair and lovely eye-smile, though his crush as a teenager had long faded.

“I’m surprised more of the staff don’t look terrified of Kris’s face,” Chanyeol snickered, earning a lip-bite from Tiffany as she fought back her own grin.

Kris had gotten fairly banged up after his scrap with Junmyeon. He sported a few cuts on his face and some bruising around his jaw especially; not seeing a healer right away was probably a conscious decision. Image was everything, and the superficial injuries made Kris look even more intimidating than he usually did. He definitely looked like he fit the role of a gang leader today.

“The manager is nervous enough for all of them,” Tiffany laughed, tugging Chanyeol’s jacket sleeve to lead him towards where Kris and the manager were headed. “Most of the staff probably had no idea of White Noise’s involvement behind the scenes.”

“Well, they must know something is up. We don’t exactly blend in,” Chanyeol huffed, glancing between his own leather jacket and the men in suits flitting about the lobby. His vibrant red hair attracted a lot of attention too; he definitely noticed one of the receptionists checking him out. He preened internally when she blushed after he winked at her.

Tiffany rolled her eyes, linking her arm with Chanyeol’s. “You can flirt after the meeting; we’re still here on business.”

Chanyeol huffed, but allowed Tiffany to take the lead. “Let’s just get this over with.”

✦ ✦ ✦

Baekhyun grimaced as he sat in the makeshift clinic, looking more like a grumpy child than a gangster as he waited for Yixing to see him amidst the injured White Noise members. As much as Baekhyun adored Yixing, he _hated_ getting treated by White Noise’s healer. It wasn’t as if Yixing was anything less than amazing at what he did, but he was not the most gentle, especially when the person only had minor injuries. Baekhyun had barely even been scraped, though the nice bruise along his jaw courtesy of a certain redhead sure stung like a bitch.

“Stop being stubborn and let me take care of those bruises,” Yixing chided, not remotely gentle when he turned Baekhyun’s face to look at him.

Baekhyun winced, his grimace slipping into a slight pout. “You’re too aggressive to be a healer.”

“You’re not exactly a beacon of purity despite your light powers either,” Yixing remarked, shaking his head at Baekhyun’s sheepish grin.

“Still, I don’t even know why I’m here. I’m totally fine!”

Yixing didn’t answer, and Baekhyun sighed as he felt his skin tingling under the healer’s touch. It was like a soothing balm traveling all throughout his body, the ache in his jaw immediately receding. The skin would still be tender for a while, but everything hurt loads less already.

“There, you big baby,” Yixing teased, his smug grin making Baekhyun huff.

“Thanks,” Baekhyun murmured, hopping down off the makeshift exam table. He felt extremely energized now, bouncing from foot to foot. “How angry is Junmyeon at me?”

Yixing snorted, raising an eyebrow at the jumpy racer. “Do you really want to know the answer to that question?”

Baekhyun shuddered at the thought of meeting with their leader after his spectacular fuckup. “Well, I’ll find out soon enough I suppose. Don’t get mad if I’m back here in an hour,” Baekhyun sighed, blowing Yixing a kiss before bounding back upstairs.

The impromptu clinic was settled in the basement of an old storage warehouse, hidden away in what was a fairly inconspicuous building. It was more like a giant garage than anything; numerous White Noise members kept vehicles in the empty space, and Baekhyun’s head hurt at the thought of counting all the cars and motorcycles squeezed inside. Thankfully there had been no major injuries in the race with Playboy, or things would be twice as crowded at least.

Baekhyun paid no mind to the White Noise members scattered about; Junmyeon was already going to want to kill him, and he wasn’t going to make it worse by being late. He’d had the importance of punctuality beaten into him, and he wasn’t one to slack on something like that.

Thankfully Baekhyun’s destination was right across the street: Cloud 9 stood vacant in the middle of the day, the nightclub lying in wait until the sun started setting. It was an unusual choice for a base of operations, but it was one of the most secure locations in the city with all the work Junmyeon had put into it. Black Pearl was out of their hands now anyways.

Joohyun was behind the bar when Baekhyun let himself inside, preparing for her upcoming bartender shift. She glanced up when he approached, offering a warning look.

“You better be ready to beg for forgiveness the minute you enter boss’ office,” Joohyun remarked, almost nonchalant. She busied herself by cleaning a champagne glass as she spoke. “Taeyeon has been trying to calm him down for at least an hour.”

“Ah, that bad huh?”

Baekhyun had expected as much. Junmyeon didn’t tolerate failure, and he would not hold back on punishing Baekhyun for his mistake no matter how fond White Noise’s leader was of him. He tried to repress his anxiety about what was to come, leaning casually against the bar.

“Maybe you can whip me up something for courage?” Baekhyun suggested, batting his eyelashes.

“I don’t think alcohol is going to help you right now,” Joohyun huffed, though she went to pull down a rather expensive bottle of vodka from the shelves anyways.

“This is why I love you,” Baekhyun cooed, taking the cocktail once Joohyun finished all the fixes. It was sweeter, something with strawberry in it, and with enough alcohol to immediately help Baekhyun relax his tensed shoulders.

“I can’t believe you actually lost to Chanyeol. When does that hothead ever get the upper hand on you?” Joohyun was frowning, eyebrows furrowed.

“Is that concern I sense?” Baekhyun gasped, delighted. “I didn’t think you cared so much.”

Baekhyun chuckled as Joohyun flipped him off, ignoring him again as she cleaned the bar counter. His smile slipped off of his face almost as quickly as it had appeared.

“It’s not the first time he’s beaten me, but I shouldn’t have let my guard down.” Baekhyun clenched his jaw, scowling at his glass. He could still picture the tall redhead on top of him, the raw anger in his eyes as he threw punch after punch.

“You two always get so intense…” Joohyun trailed off, an almost wistful tone to her voice. She waved a hand in front of her face dismissively when she noticed Baekhyun raising an eyebrow at her. “Nothing. I just can’t believe how much you two hate each other sometimes.”

“Bastard started it. Playboy members don’t seem to be capable of being civil,” Baekhyun snorted. He downed the rest of his drink, slamming the glass down with a little more force than necessary.

“Are you kidding me? You know how pissed Junmyeon is and you’re _still_ trying to destroy his property? You’re fucking crazy.”

A different female voice came from the direction of the staircase to the office and V.I.P. lounges. Taeyeon stared at Baekhyun in disbelief, continuing her descent down the stairs and approaching the bar. Her blonde hair was messy, like she’d been running her hands through it repeatedly. She probably had been, amidst talking with Junmyeon.

“Give me a break, okay? I’m nervous,” Baekhyun whined, pouting at the older woman.

“Don’t pout at me, you knew this was coming. And no more alcohol! The last thing any of us need is you getting drunk before talking to Junmyeon,” Taeyeon grimaced, tugging Baekhyun away from the bar counter.

Baekhyun squawked indignantly as White Noise’s second in command tugged him towards the stairs. He could feel the panic rising up into his throat, and he really fucking hoped he wasn’t going to throw up all over the carpet in Junmyeon’s office. Alcohol was definitely not the best thing he could have had right before meeting with the gang leader.

Junmyeon was seated behind his large mahogany desk when Baekhyun was dragged into the office. The leader’s jaw was clenched and eyebrows were furrowed as he stared through his office window towards the empty dance floor below. The power that radiated off of him and his cold, angry stare were intimidating enough that Baekhyun could feel himself breaking out with goosebumps. He was so _fucked_.

“You really know how to piss me off, don’t you?” Junmyeon didn’t even look at Baekhyun when he spoke, toying absently with the pendant of his necklace. Baekhyun kneeled instinctively, clasping his sweaty palms together as he bowed to the floor. He definitely was going to puke; his stomach felt tight with dread. The only thing keeping him remotely calm was that Taeyeon was also in the room, and she would prevent things from getting too out of hand.

“I’m sorry,” Baekhyun murmured, eyes trained carefully on the floor. A sincere apology was all he could do, and hope Junmyeon wasn’t as furious with him after. “Things got out of hand, and we lost because of me.”

Baekhyun could only hear Junmyeon’s deep exhale, and the sound of the desk chair rolling back as the gang leader rose to his feet.

“Sit up and look at me,” Junmyeon commanded, moving to stand in front of Baekhyun.

In no position to resist, Baekhyun sat up, still remaining seated on the floor. He stared up at Junmyeon, silently waiting for whatever reprimand was to come. Junmyeon raised a hand, and Baekhyun braced himself preemptively.

A hard flick to the forehead made Baekhyun flinch, the racer mumbling a small “ _ow_ ” as he glared up at Junmyeon.

“I can’t blame you for this mess entirely, as much as I’d like to,” Junmyeon sighed, gaze exasperated, but still a little fond. “We were all too confident this time, and we’re paying for it.”

Baekhyun slowly rose to his feet, rubbing at the sore spot on his forehead. “I really don’t know what happened. One second I shoved Joy out of my way, and the next Chanyeol had knocked me to the ground and was bruising my face.”

“Overprotective brother, huh?” Junmyeon mused, thoughtful. “Can’t say it’s a surprising trait for him.”

“I didn’t even _know_ Joy was his sister,” Baekhyun huffed, frowning. It wasn’t a big detail, but it felt like something Baekhyun should have known before now. Chanyeol had been his main opponent for what, seven years now?

“Well, what’s done is done,” Taeyeon sighed. “We’ll recover from this, and it isn’t like we’ll never get Black Pearl back.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” Junmyeon smirked, leaning back against his desk. “It’ll be a big loss, but nothing we can’t recover from. In the meantime, I do have a task for you Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun perked up with interest, watching as Junmyeon crossed the room towards the safe installed in the wall. Junmyeon retrieved a manilla envelope from inside, holding it up.

“We have some wannabe gangsters who need to be put in their place. I know it’s your favorite,” Junmyeon added, teasing as he handed the envelope over to Baekhyun.

All the previous apprehension dispersed from Baekhyun immediately. Sending a message to some upstarts thinking they could challenge White Noise was definitely the kind of stress relief Baekhyun needed.

“No problem boss. Any rules?”

“No deaths unless necessary. We don’t need the extra aggravation if any of them want to seek revenge,” Junmyeon snorted. “Not like they’d be able to do anything.”

“Got it. I’ll see who wants to help me,” Baekhyun chirped, his energy returning full force. It was going to feel so good to beat some unruly bastard’s face in after the day he’d had. Whatever poor idiot pissed him off was going to get all of his frustration taken out on them.

It took a few days for Baekhyun to track down everyone necessary and arrange a meeting, but he was still tingling with energy the moment he arrived at the empty parking lot.

“The race was almost a week ago, calm down you animal,” Yoona snorted, though she was smirking a little too.

“The rest of you at least got to fight then,” Baekhyun huffed, pacing idly in anticipation.

“Yeah, you just got your ass handed to you,” Jongdae snickered, full on cackling when Baekhyun punched his arm with bruising force.

“I wouldn’t want to fight Chanyeol myself though,” Sunny mused, attempting to comfort her cousin. “He’s kind of terrifying when he loses his temper.”

Baekhyun had to silently agree. Usually Baekhyun wouldn’t think twice about that dumb hothead, but when he got legitimately angry… Baekhyun could almost still feel the heat of fire nearly grazing his skin.

Baekhyun jumped when something waved in front of his face, and sighed happily as he took the cigarette Kyungsoo offered him. “This is why you’re one of my best friends Soo.”

“Relax a little bit you dumbass, the Ghost members are going to be here any minute, and you don’t need to make a fool of yourself by looking anxious,” Kyungsoo chided.

Ghost, from what Baekhyun understood, had been around for quite a while despite being fairly low profile. Baekhyun had thought Junmyeon would have wanted to target a newer gang, since Ghost had mostly kept to themselves. Apparently they’d been stirring up trouble for White Noise though, and Junmyeon would take the chance to send a message that they were just as powerful as ever despite the big loss to Playboy.

Baekhyun had barely gotten in a few drags of his cigarette before the Ghost members had arrived. There were five men and four women, confidently lead by a tall, lean man who looked more like a model than anything. He was handsome, but there was something familiar about him that Baekhyun couldn’t place.

The apparent leader took one glance around the White Noise members before his gaze landed on Baekhyun. His expression didn’t outwardly change, but he cocked his head to the side slightly, considering. “We meet again.”

“Do I know you?” Baekhyun deadpanned, starting to get irked. He was sure he’d never met this man before, but the familiarity surrounding him was making Baekhyun’s skin crawl. Who the hell was this guy?

“Of course you don’t remember,” the leader sighed, shaking his head. “You were too wrapped up in that boyfriend of yours to notice much else.”

A wave of disgust came over Baekhyun at the thought of his last ex. It apparently showed on his face, drawing a chuckle out of the tall man.

“Ah, must not have been meant to be. Probably for the best, considering I’m seeing you again _here_.”

“Drop the bullshit already. We know you’ve been cutting into our profits,” Yoona sneered, crossing her arms over her chest. She had no patience for trivial chatter with this kind of business, and Baekhyun was extremely thankful for it. They were here for a reason.

“Please, we barely did anything compared to some of the others leeching off of you,” one of the women with shorter hair huffed. “Picking off some leftovers shouldn’t be worth this mess.”

Normally, Baekhyun might have agreed that it was a bit much, but after the humiliating loss to Playboy and now Ghost’s leader pissing him off, he wasn’t very sympathetic.

“We can’t let things slide anymore, and you just happened to be first on our list,” Baekhyun shrugged. He pinned the leader with his glare, snuffing out his cigarette under his boot heel.

“Now, let’s _negotiate_.”

Kyungsoo immediately threw his hands to the ground, sending violent tremors that knocked the unprepared opponents off of their feet. Yoona threw up a forcefield around herself and Jongdae, as Jongdae raised a hand skyward.

The shift in the air was immediate; Baekhyun felt the hairs all over the back of his neck and his arms stand up as electricity started slowly building. Storm clouds were darkening overhead, and Baekhyun cursed under his breath.

Jongdae’s powers could be downright devastating, when he concentrated enough to draw real lightning to his disposal. He could manipulate the electricity once he had gathered enough, but Baekhyun knew they wouldn’t have time.

Two of the men and one of the women were already unconscious when Baekhyun heard police sirens approaching rapidly. He snarled out a curse before landing a Brazilian kick to the head of a third man, knocking him out in a single blow.

“Your fucking weather display tipped off the cops!” Baekhyun yelled towards Jongdae, who quickly lowered his arm.

“Fuck, let’s just get out of here! They aren’t worth this mess,” Jongdae hissed.

The White Noise members quickly dispersed, Baekhyun swearing as he ran. He’d have to circle back to his motorcycle later; it was too recognizable, and he wasn’t going to expose where it was hidden with the police on his tail.

Baekhyun weaved through alleys and backstreets, not slowing his pace at all despite his lungs feeling like they were going burst. He just had to lose the cops and he’d be in the clear. All he needed was a single moment of opportunity—

Any thoughts came to an abrupt halt as Baekhyun found himself stumbling directly into someone, sending them both sprawling onto the ground. His hands and knees burned from catching his fall, making him hiss in pain.

“Fuck, watch where you’re going!”

The deep, annoyed voice was one Baekhyun could recognize anywhere. He whipped his head up, seeing Park Chanyeol looking at him as incredulously as he felt about the situation. Damn it, Baekhyun didn’t have _time_ for this!

Baekhyun quickly scrambled to his feet, but was grabbed harshly by the arm before he could bolt again. Chanyeol’s grip was strong and angry, the redhead glaring as he gripped Baekhyun tightly enough to bruise.

“What the hell is your problem Byun?!”

“ _My_ problem? You’re the one grabbing me like a goddamn caveman! Let go Park, this isn’t the time to mess around!”

Baekhyun tried to pry himself out of Chanyeol’s grip, but it was too late. He’d been slowed down enough that a couple officers on foot had caught up, and surrounded them on either side.

“There you are you little bastard,” one officer hissed, out of breath but still holding himself together.

Realization dawned on Chanyeol’s face a little too late, and he started protesting loudly when an officer started crowding him too.

“Hey, I’m just a bystander! This fucker knocked me over!”

“Save it, you’re Chanyeol of Playboy aren’t you?” A woman officer sneered at Chanyeol, who flinched at being recognized. “It’s gonna feel so good to take both of you shitheads in.”

Baekhyun yelped as he was bodily shoved against the alley wall, Chanyeol right next to him. He expected the feeling of his arms being yanked back to handcuff him, but he blinked when he felt the metal only on one wrist.

A police car had pulled up next to the alley, and Baekhyun barely had time to process it before he was being shoved into the backseat, Chanyeol right after him. He immediately tried to pull himself as far to the other side of the car as possible, and blinked when he felt his arm being tugged.

Baekhyun took one glance at the cuff around his left wrist, and the other around Chanyeol’s right, before meeting the mortified gaze of his rival.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe how long it took me to finish the second chapter ;A;
> 
> I'm extremely sorry for the long wait!! I fell into a bit of a serious slump for a while there, but twitter has been really kind to me and getting my drive for writing back. I really hope the next chapter won't take quite as long to get out, and I'm hoping I'm finally in the groove of writing more often so that it won't be so difficult to get started.
> 
> Anyways, things are still just getting going, but I hope chapter 2 was worth the wait! As always, I'm very active on [twitter](https://twitter.com/CentipedeLove) with some twitter exclusive writing too, so please go check me out there too!

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to contact me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/CentipedeLove) or [tumblr](http://centipedelove.tumblr.com/) to leave me any comments or questions. <3


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